Asheville adopts tax increase, will invest in infrastructure

Plans to lure jobs, invest in infrastructure

10:34 PM,
Jun. 25, 2013

Esther Manheimer

Written by

City Council unanimously approved a budget accompanied by a 7 percent tax increase Tuesday, with the extra tax revenues largely allocated to deferred maintenance and projects designed to lure private investment to the city. It was the first increase in the property tax rate in at least a decade.

The budget roughly doubles the amount the city budgeted for street repairs a year ago and allocates funds to be used for street, sidewalk and other improvements in downtown's South Slope and the River Arts District that council members and a city staffer said will attract development that will ...